Donald Trump's Medical Report Hailing 'Excellent Health' Raises Questions

A medical report saying that Donald Trump is in excellent health has sparked speculation, with commentators questioning how legitimate it is.

The former president published a doctor's letter on his social-media platform Truth Social on Monday. It said that the 77-year-old's physical health was normal and that his cognitive health was exceptional.

There has been increased scrutiny on the Republican's cognitive health. Trump is leading in the party's primaries and will likely face President Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election. However, he made a number of gaffes in recent speeches, such as confusing Sioux City and Sioux Falls during a rally and saying that Viktor Orban is the leader of Turkey, not Hungary.

While Trump has not suffered as much backlash about his age as 81-year-old Biden, after a Harvard-Harris poll found 67 percent of voters said he was too old to be president, some critics have questioned the former president's ability to govern.

"The presidency is not a job for somebody that's pushing 80 years old," Ron DeSantis, one of Trump's rivals, said on CNN Sunday.

The letter from Bruce Aronwald challenged those critics, painting a picture of well-being. It read: "I have been President Donald J. Trump's personal physician since 2021. During this time, I have conducted several comprehensive examinations, the most recent being September 13, 2023 and have supervised specialist consultations along with ancillary testing for screening and preventative health maintenance.

"I am pleased to report that President Trump's overall health is excellent," the letter added. "His physical exams were well within the normal range and his cognitive exams were exceptional."

Aronwald's statement added the Republican had lost weight through diet and exercise and that his cardiovascular health was normal. It said "cancer screening tests are all negative."

"It is my opinion that President Trump is currently in excellent health, and with his continued interest in preventative health monitoring and maintenance, he will continue to enjoy a healthy active lifestyle for years to come," the letter concluded.

However, the statement was criticized as it did not include specific test results or metrics on key health indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels or weight.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Jonathan Reiner MD, professor of medicine at The George Washington University, said "the brief note is devoid of any data."

"Who are the specialists that evaluated Trump?" Reiner said. "What did they find? What tests were performed? Why multiple cognitive exams? BP [blood pressure]? Weight? Chol[esterol]? Meds?"

Meanwhile, Aronwald has a below state-average level of expertise in obesity, chronic diabetes, underactive thyroid, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation and other fields, according to the website USNews.

Newsweek contacted Aronwald on social media and representatives for Trump by email to comment on this story.

It is not the first time Trump has released his medical information as a campaigns tool. As he fought for the Republican nomination in December 2015, Trump's campaign released a letter from the late Dr. Harold N. Bornstein that said Trump, would unequivocally be the "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency."

Bornstein later said that Trump had dictated the assessment himself, calling it black humor.

Meanwhile, in 2019, the then-White House Dr. Ronny Jackson held a press conference about an exam that said Trump was obese, saying the Republican had incredible genes and cognitive health. "It's just the way God made him," Jackson said.

In September, a CBS News poll found voters are more concerned about Biden's age and mental and cognitive health than Trump's. The survey found only 34 percent of registered voters believe that Biden, then 80, would complete a second term if reelected, while 55 percent said the same of 77-year-old Trump.